By JOHN ONAH, Abuja
The National Youth Council Of Nigeria (NYCN) and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) have passed a vote of confidence on the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu on his achievements in the sector especially in ensuring all loopholes that allowed for diversion of funds in the agencies under the Ministry were identified and efficiently blocked.
In a communique signed by NYCN President, Solomon Adodo on behalf of the organisations, noted that the finances conserved in the process have thus been channeled to other meaningful projects, while reducing the costs of all major examination fees including NECO and UTME/JAMB fees.
The communique therefore frowned at desperate attempts to disparage the image of the Minister of Education and derail the spate of progress being recorded in the educational sector all in a bid to paint the government of President Muhammadu Buhari in a bad light.
“The meeting between the National Youth Council of Nigeria, Global Initiative for Mass Education, Civil Society Advocacy Groups for Accountability and Probity, Concerned Citizens for Educational Development, Guardians of Democracy and Development, Transparency Advocacy Initiative, beamed her lens of scrutiny on the progress being made in the educational sector with particular emphasis on the transparency measures being put in place for robust development of the sector”.
“It is therefore with utmost dismay that the National Youth Council of Nigeria and her partners have noted the desperate attempts to disparage the image of the Minister of Education and derail the spate of progress being recorded in the educational sector all in a bid to paint the government of President Muhammadu Buhari in a bad light”.
“The recent libelous publication by 247ureports.com and misleading headlines by Sahara Reporters alongside some yellow journalism platforms targeted at roping a scandal around the neck of Mallam Adamu Adamu is one which all true patriots and stakeholders in the education sector must condemn totally”, it added.
“The attack is not only geared at crippling the recovery the education sector is recording after the devastating Covid-19 lockdown but also a subtle smear strategy against the government”.
According to the communique, available records show that neither did the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission nor any other anti-graft agency invite the Minister.
On issues of financial efficiency, prudence and fiscal transparency, it disclosed that the Ministry of Education has performed excellently with no room for criminal elements contrary to what those scandal mongering publications would have us believed.
“Our detailed findings show the following developments under Mallam Adamu Adamu which strongly affirm his knack for transparency and fiscal accountability: Between 2016 and 2020, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board remitted over ten billion Naira to the Federal Government contrary to the prior norm where these monies where diverted to private pockets, the National Examination Council has also remitted monies running into several billions of naira into the the Federation coffers. As a result of the transparency measures which have conserved funds, the Federal government subsequently reduced UTME, NECO and BSCE exams”.
“As a result of efficient utilization of funds, TETFund has been reinvigorated to expand the project execution capacity in public tertiary Institutions thereby addressing some key demands by ASUU”.
“There has been a major leap in the performance of the the Universal Basic Education Commission due to the water tight accountability system under the Minister’s watch. This has led to an increased enrolment of pupils across the nation. A prudent revitalization plan for Nigerian Universities has also been emplaced to increase the carrying capacity our Universities by expanding available facilities while also approving the establishment of new Universities”.
It also noted that the lingering issue of earned allowance for which ASUU had always embarked on strike is also being addressed all thanks to the transparency measures the Minister has put in place.
“Despite these glaring achievements, 247ureporters and their co-travelers chose to deliberately concoct a web of corruption and foist same on the Minister of Education even without any proof linking the said Minister to any of those baseless accusations. It should be noted that this attack on the image of the Minister of Education and other Agencies/Bodies under the Ministry have been expertly contrived and coordinated over a long period of time which gives credence to the inkling that they are on a vendetta mission”.
“The eagerness to drag an important Ministry as the Ministry of Education into the murky political terrain by mentioning the Governor of Yobe State and Caretaker Chairman of the APC also demonstrated the bald faced political Agenda of the men behind the mask who are bent on ridiculing the government just to gain some mileage in the 2023 Presidential elections.
“We advise sternly that these purveyors mischief steer their ship of vendetta clear of Nigeria’s very important education sector which is already on the path of progress. It is imperative to draw attention to the fact that anyone with a proof of corruption against the Minister has the liberty to approach the anti-graft Agencies or the Law Courts for justice to be served. The enemies of our education sector have however decided contrariwise, placing the cart before the horse and serving as judge, jury and hangman all in one. It is highly condemnable”.
They called on the Minister to remain assured that Nigerian Youth repose the same token of support and confidence on him in the same manner we have vowed to support President Muhammadu Buhari to move Nigeria forward.
“We urge all Nigerian youth and indeed every true patriot to maintain faith in the government as we make steady progress towards a greater and more prosperous Nigeria”.
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